If The Shoe Fits
by MorriganFae
Summary: Fairy Tail story with a Cinderella twist. Lucy is tired of being a slave to her step-mother and step-sisters, who mockingly call her "Cinderella" because she can't feel heat—not from the sun or hearth or boiling water. Then one day she meets the Prince and learns that fire comes in all sorts of different forms. Rated M. Nalu. This story is a gift for my good friend, Satyrykal.
1. Chapter 1 - If the Shoe Fits

_Dedicating this story to my wonderful friend, Satyrykal! This is a Fairy Tail A/U with a Cinderella twist. I don't own any of the characters. Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail and The Brothers Grimm own the Cinderella story I'm borrowing. Rated M._

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 **Chapter 1: If The Shoe Fits**

Lucy wakes before dawn, as she always does these days. She doesn't mind the early hour, alone with her own thoughts. Once the rest of the household rises, her day will be as chartered as the sun's path across the sky.

So she cherishes her brief time with the stars. The shining glow of the moon filters through the gauzy curtains of her bedroom window, bathing her in a pool of silver light.

She swings her legs over the bed; skin prickling with goosebumps as the cool air hits her body. Lucy dresses quickly in a brown homespun dress that is worn at the bottom where it drags across the floor. There's a small hole near the waist. She used to frown at such garments, turning up her nose at such rough material.

In another life, Lucy Heartfilia wore silk, satin, velvet and fine lace. The treasured daughter of nobility, with nary a thought in her pretty little head aside from which dress to wear, which book to read, and wondering if her papa would have time to play with her.

That girl is long gone now.

She only thinks of the girl she used to be in these inky black moments. She opens her dresser drawer carefully. It groans in protest, the wood rubbing against the frame. She takes out the gift her friend, Cana Alberona gave her…a single tarot card. It depicts the night sky, the full moon, two towers—one white, one black—divided by a river with a pair of baying hounds or wolves on either side.

She doesn't care about the animals, the river, the towers. She only likes the star-speckled sky, the creamy moon. The moon has a face etched onto it. A woman's face shown in profile, looking down at the world, wearing a secret smile. The Moon card is about the unknown, Cana has told her. Deception. Hidden things. Illusion.

Her hands are shaking when she puts the card back.

She creeps quietly down the stairs, stocking-footed and holding the bannister tight so as not to trip and wake the household. Even though her step-sisters sleep like logs, and as late as they possibly can, her step-mother is fond of surprising her at odd times, causing her to jump and—more often than not—slip and fall.

She makes it down the stairs without incident today, though. She banishes the thoughts of the tarot card, of her past life, of the girl long gone but not forgotten. She instead concentrates on putting one foot in front of the other, doing what needs to be done.

Her first task is to building up the fires in the main dining room and in the drawing room, coughing slightly as the smoke hits her face. The dried twigs and bits of kindling catch flames that eagerly lick upwards toward the larger logs in the fireplace. She stretches her arms out toward the cheerful blaze that has brought light into the room, not able to feel the heat of the flames.

She is always cold.

Lucy pulls open the thick damask curtains, wrapping the tasselled sash around them and tying them off into saggy bows, the loops equal, the cords dangling at the exact same length. She repeats this process ten times, two drapes per window, until all five windows are unobstructed.

The sky is beginning to lengthen in pre-dawn light, the seeping black of night being chased away by indigo blue. The soft tendrils of light signal the end of any wishful thinking. Her whole body goes numb, her mind going blank. It's easier this way.

She pulls on the single pair of shoes she owns—unbecoming brown, lace-up, blucher-style shoes that see her through dirt, sleet and snow—and goes about her daily chores.

Lucy feeds the pigs their mash, barely registering their grunts and squeals as they stampede to the trough, shouldered each other with their pink hairy bodies as they dig into their meal.

She drags a seed bag of grain over to the chicken coop—the bag too heavy and awkward to carry without spilling over, which would surely result in a beating if a mess were discovered. She scatters the grain mixture into the pen, the fragrant aroma of wheat, oats and barley commingling with the less appealing smells of soiled hay and chicken shit.

The chickens squawk, scratching and pecking up the bits of feed, their heads bobbing up and down. While they are occupied, she stealthily goes inside the coop to gather eggs.

One chicken is sitting on her nest. Small black eyes, beady and doleful, are studying her. Lucy knows this chicken—she has been keeping an eye on it because it hasn't produced a single egg in three days.

Lucy pulls on thick gloves and reaches underneath the chicken's belly, groping around. The hen gives a few rapid pecks to her gloves— _tap tap tap_ —clucking in annoyance when the hard beak doesn't find purchase and deter the blonde. Lucy's hand comes up empty yet again.

Quick as a shooting star, the blonde snatches the chicken up by the neck, red feathers flying, and wrings the bird's neck. It only takes a moment and then the dead hen is limp in her hands. She feels the same rush of emotion that she always does when she has to end a poor creature's life.

Envy.

She bends over to pick up the basket by the handle, fumbling slightly (the gloves dull the sensation of her fingers, she should have taken them off), but she manages to hoist the basket without breaking any eggs. She uses her teeth to tug the gloves off, letting them fall in a reed basket near the door that is just high enough that the flightless birds can't get at them.

She walks back up to the keep hurriedly. Even though the sun beats down on her and she's in dark-coloured clothing, her face remains cool and dry.

 _Just once, I'd like to feel the sun._

Lucy enters through the kitchen door, the smell of freshly baked bread and cooking bacon fills the room. Chef Erza's standing by the stove, flipping the meat with a long, two-pronged fork.

"Good morning, Lucy," Erza says sternly.

"Hello, Erza. Chicken for supper tonight." She places the poultry and basket of eggs onto the low wooden table buttressed against the wall.

"Excellent. I only had the hocks left of the pig. I've been stewing those for lunch with cabbage and onion." The redhead nods to the bubbling cast iron pot on the stove.

"Here, have some bread," Erza hands her two bread heels. The fussy eaters in her household don't eat bread ends. She bobs her head in a nod of thanks and slowly chews, relishing the taste.

She has just finished eating and is getting a dipperful of water in a cup when her step-mother enters the room.

"What are you doing here? Don't you have chores to do?" The blue eyes narrow at her in suspicion.

"I was just dropping off the eggs and a chicken, Aquar….mother," Lucy says meekly, lowering her eyes so that Aquarius can't see any disobedience in them. She mentally curses herself for her slip-up. Aquarius hates it when Lucy addresses her by her given name.

"Mind your manners, brat. You best be getting on with it. You need to set up the stall in town today. You and that other one," Aquarius sneers.

"Yes, mother," her voice soft, but she dares to met her step-mother's cold stare.

"Ugh, stop looking at me with that bovine expression, girl. You're so unfortunate to have such dark brown eyes. I'm glad my darling girls both have light coloured eyes like I do."

The insult chips away at Lucy's already crumbling self-esteem. She feels a tight pressure building behind her eyelids, but rapidly blinks. She knows tears won't endear her to Aquarius.

"Is breakfast almost ready?" Aquarius snaps at the cook.

"Yes, milady. I'm just finishing the eggs," Erza says mildly, cracking one into a pan.

"Good. You might as well make yourself useful and serve since you're just loitering about like an idiot." Aquarius demands, flipping back her cerulean hair. She wears a gold circlet on her head, as a constant reminder of who was the Lady of House Heartfilia.

 _As if she needs reminding._

"Yes, mother," Lucy bows to her step-mother and master. Aquarius gives a small, satisfied grunt and then sweeps out of the room, no doubt to make sure her lazy daughters were getting ready for the day.

She digs out the large silver tray that's used for all the meals, frowning at a bit of tarnish dulling one side. She finds a rag and asks Erza for the silver polish, knowing from past experience that the chef keeps every piece of metal in the kitchen sparkling clean and—in the case of knives and cleavers—whetted to a sword's edge.

Erza wordlessly hands her a small metal container. When she screws off the lid, the fumes hit her hard enough that her hip smacks back against the table.

"What _is_ this stuff? It's making me dizzy." She dips her moistened cloth into the pot, scooping out a bit of polish and closes the lid, scrubbing at the silverware. The plate starts to shine so brightly it almost glows.

"It's my own recipe. Best silver polish there is," the redhead says proudly, sliding some eggs onto a plate and adding bacon beside them. She passes the plate to Lucy.

When both of them are holding either end of the plate, the chef's eyes bore into hers for a moment.

Erza quietly offers, "I miss the way things used to be."

Her voice casual, as if discussing the weather, but beneath the nonchalant tone is an offer...of friendship, perhaps.

Lucy sighs, silently rebuffing the cook. It isn't that she distrusted Erza or didn't agree with her—things _had_ been better when her father was alive—but what would be the point of rehashing old grievances? She couldn't change the past and trying to reshape the future was as pointless as trying to shape water with your bare hands.

Hope was like a wet butterfly, fluttering around, useless. She would never be able to dry and fly away, not as long as Aquarius was around.

Lucy quickly arranges the three heaping platters on the tray. She adds a pot of tea, teacups, milk, lemon slices, three glasses of orange juice, a pot of jam and cutlery to her load.

"Thank you, Erza." She means for more than just the food. She can see in Erza's soft brown eyes that she understands as she nods back. Lucy hefts the tray up, and walks quickly into the dining room.

Her step-sister, Minerva lays in wait for her.

"About time!" Minerva barks out as soon as she enters. Her eldest step-sister has a pointy face like a witch's hat and the personality to match.

Minerva's shiny black tresses should've been pretty, but there was a hard crispness to them, unswaying as she bent over to scratch at her ankle. The blackened shell of hair reminded Lucy of a dung beetle. Minerva's lambert eyes were snakelike. She slides her glance away from the girl's reptilian features as her other step-sister speaks.

"Now Minerva, we must remember what a heifer Lucy is…of course she's going to be slower than the rest of us," Sorano laughs maliciously, with Aquarius and Minerva joining in.

It was a hackneyed joke with many variations, all about how fat or stupid Lucy was. They had laughed at her expense hundreds of times. Spitefully, they all laughed again. Sorano sends her a withering look of pure hatred. Why her step-sisters loathe her, she isn't sure. She's been nothing but kind to them. Aquarius has made sure of that.

"The food better not be cold because of your dallying, brat." Aquarius warns her.

Lucy places their plates in front of them and then makes the rounds, pouring tea. Aquarius takes a delicate bite. Either the food is hot enough or she's hungry enough that she can't be bothered to send it back to the kitchen.

Lucy stands to the side, her stomach quietly growling as she watches everyone else sit and eat in front of her, her step-mother the only one with any dignity and decorum. Her step-sisters' manners are atrocious—they talk loudly with their mouths full, interrupting each other, crumbs of toast flying off like flint sparks—Aquarius ignoring it all, as usual.

Aquarius gives a slight hand signal and Lucy finally moves about the room freely once more. She refills teacups, then tends to the fire before resuming her position to the side and just behind her step-mother's line of sight. Aquarius has said often enough that she finds looking at Lucy's face during mealtimes off-putting, so she positions herself where she wouldn't be seen by her step-mother.

Lucy stands straight as a newel post and she's given about as much attention. Her step-mother and sisters talk to each other during their meal, ignoring her completely. Not that she minds. She'd much rather be invisible than the focus of the three of them. Her spine shudders with a small jolt of fear. Sparking the interest of these three has never benefited her.

Eventually, Aquarius gives a curt nod to indicate she can start taking the plates away.

She brings the dirty dishes to Erza and—in a moment of rushed warmth and comradery—she touches the redhead's sleeve.

"I miss the old days, too," she confesses.

Chef Erza's lips tug up into a sweet smile. "I cured some sausage to take to market today, if you want."

The two women smile at each other shyly...as if both sense the embryonic beginnings of true friendship.

"That would be lovely. Your sausage always sells well."

"I'll pack it up and have it ready for when you go then." Erza turns back to the sink to get started on the dishes. They both have work to do.

Lucy hurries out of the kitchen, searching around the keep until she finally finds what she's looking for — her best friend outside, hanging wet laundry to dry.

"Levy!" She greets her enthusiastically albeit quietly. She doesn't want either of the step-witches or her wicked step-mother to know of her affection for the blunette. Levy is a mere scullery maid…easy to send away.

Or so they thought.

They didn't know Levy McGarden…not like she did.

She reaches into the basket, pulling out a wet chemise to pin to the clothesline. Now if anyone's watching—and they probably were—at least she's busy working, which is all they care about.

They finish the laundry in short order, most of it the unmentionables of her two step-sisters, bloomers waving in the breeze like white flags.

Lucy has read that sailors tie their shirts to sticks when lost at sea to try to signal passing ships. SOS. A cry for help.

She understands the urge.

But no one is coming to save her. No one.

"You go get the cheese, I'll gather the fruits and vegetables and meet you at the stable, Levy." She always offers to carry the heavier things on their twice-weekly trips to the market. Levy's a lot smaller than she is.

"Thanks, Lu-chan." The 'chan' is their own honorific between the two of them. A secret code that even though Lucy is highborn and Levy is not, that they see each other as equals.

Lucy gathers the wooden crates of potatoes, carrots, onions, apples, and pears. It takes several trips to the stable. Levy eventually comes to help her, bringing the eggs and sausages from Erza. After packing the box wagon, they sit side by side in the buggy. Lucy gives a soft swish of the reins and the horse trots off.

"Thank Mavis for market days!" Her pixie-sized friend exclaims as soon as they're twenty paces down the road.

"Twice a week isn't nearly enough time away from that stuffy keep," Lucy agrees.

"You said it." Levy digs into the small burlap sack at her feet, pulling out two apples, handing her friend one. The blonde takes a bite of crisp apple, the tart sweetness exploding in her mouth.

As they ride along, Levy keeps reaching into her satchel for more goodies. A palm-sized wheel of cheese that she slices onto the bread Erza has snuck into their bag. A handful of raspberries – slightly squashed into a cloth napkin but still tasty. A wineskin filled with clear water.

With a veritable feast, the streaming sunlight and the two friends lightly chatting, you'd be forgiven for mistaking them for happy people.

They make their way to the heart of Magnolia, the bustling city center crowded with sellers such as themselves, hawking their wares.

They reach a tight alleyway, halting the horse in the shaded space between buildings. A single hitching post is there. They both amble down from the buggy, stretching sore backs and legs.

"I'll tie off Sagittarius, you go tell him we're here." Lucy offers.

Levy's face floods red, but she nods her head in agreement, disappearing around the corner.

"About time you got here, Shrimp!" A booming voice calls.

"Gajeel, were you worried about us?" The smaller girl's clear contralto carries easily to Lucy.

"Nope…well, maybe for the bunny girl," the deep voice replies.

"What? Not for me?" Levy's asks, her voice lilting up an octave into a playful, teasing tone.

"Nah, little shrimp are like little fish. Everyone knows to throw the small ones back," Gajeel says gruffly but Lucy can hear the underlying affection in his voice.

She was unsurprised in the next instant to hear the distinct sound of Levy smacking the blacksmith.

"Ow," Levy's voice comes out small and injured, "What're you made of...lead?"

"Gi-hi-hi-hi!" The blacksmith has a distinctive laugh that Lucy would recognize anywhere. "I told you before, I'm iron, Shrimp."

The black-haired man rounds the corner—large and muscle-bound, with the predatory eyes of a panther, except his irises are red.

Gajeel Redfox was so tall, if he were standing right in front of you, he would blot out the sun. So imposing, he could strike fear in the heart of any man. So obviously in love with her best friend, that she thought he resembled a black pussycat.

Gajeel hefts several boxes of produce in his long, strong arms. Levy and Lucy move to help him, and although he wears a pained expression the entire time they are unloading, not one chauvinistic word crosses his tightly seamed lips.

"I'll get the last load while you two set up," he says hurriedly when he feels Levy has done enough.

Lucy knew if the noirette had it his way, Levy wouldn't have to lift one finger except to turn the page of a book. He wanted to dote on her and treat her like a princess, but he knew well enough to never treat her as such.

She sighs longingly. A man who loves you enough to want to treat you as a Queen but trusted your own strength was rarer than a dragon's egg nowadays.

They set up their stall in front of Gajeel's smithy, Black Steel. It is in a prime location, closer to the village than most sellers and manned by the two pretty, friendly girls. They did brisk, steady business for a few hours until Mirajane Strauss shows up.

"Hi, Mira, what can I do for you?" Lucy smiles at the silver-haired dressmaker.

"Lucy, just the woman I need! You have to help me!"

"Don't worry, I already saved you a dozen of Erza's sausages. I know Elfman loves them," she assures her.

Elfman was Mira's brother and considered sausage "the manliest of the breakfast meats."

"It's not that...I mean, thank you…of course I'll buy them, but I need you to come with me right away," Mira pleads.

Lucy exchanges a quick glance with Levy. If Aquarius finds out she left Levy all alone, she will be beaten so badly she won't be able to walk for a week.

"Mira, I'd love to help you, but Aquarius always comes to check on the stall in the afternoon."

 _And to count the money to make sure we're not pocketing one jewel,_ she keeps to her own thoughts.

"Please, Lucy. Fifteen minutes. You know I would never ask unless it was important," Mira's blue eyes shine with desperation.

"It's okay, Lu-chan. If you use Gajeel's back door, you can be at Mira's shop in two minutes. If Aquarius shows up, I'll just say you went to the privies."

She deliberates for only a moment, but in the end, she knew Mira wouldn't be asking unless the matter was urgent.

"Fifteen minutes," Lucy says firmly.

They quick-stepped to Mira's, the seamstress opening her shop door, chimes ringing out in greeting. Lucy follows her inside. Mira goes to the back room and comes bustling out, carrying a pale green dress, embroidered with heavy cream brocade.

She tilts her head to the side and looks at the blue-eyed beauty in askance.

"My little sister, Lisanna is getting married in three weeks. I agreed to make her dress, but she lives in Crocus. I have to bring it to her on the actual wedding day and you're the closest one I know to her measurements. Can you try the dress on? If it needs hemming or alterations, I need to do them now," Mira explains.

"Oh, is that all?" She sighs with relief. "Sure, I'd be happy to help you."

"Thanks, Lucy!"

Together, they strip Lucy out of her course brown dress. Mira lashes her into a corset and fastens a petticoat on her, and then they carefully fit the luscious green silk over her head.

"Lisanna's bust is slightly smaller than yours, but not by much, so sorry if it's a bit tight," Mira explains as she does up the lacings in the back. "But your waist, hip and height measurements are all exactly the same."

The seamstress spins her around so Lucy can see herself in the mirror. The dress stunning. Small capped sleeves and a square neckline that shows ample cleavage. The blonde lays a flat hand on her stomach, she can see in her reflection that her hand spans almost the entire width of her waist. She had no idea she was so thin.

"It's too long," Lucy sighs sadly. The material pools at her feet.

"Oh wait, let me get the shoes!" Mira cries out. She hurries away and is back in an instant, holding a pair of delicate translucent shoes.

"Those are gorgeous!" Sunlight beams through the shop window, reflecting rainbow prisms in the three-inch heels.

"They're glass," Mira says proudly. "But glass can be as hard as steel if made right."

Lucy steps into the shoes and the dress suddenly looks perfect.

"Your sister is going to love this dress, Mira," she says honestly.

"Stand up over here," Mira directs her towards a raised, wooden box in the middle of the shop. The silver-haired beauty bends low, several pins anchored between her lips as she moves around Lucy, tape measure in hand.

"I think the hem can be raised a quarter of an inch…" Mira murmurs, folding the bottom and sticking a couple of pins where she needs them.

Trumpets sound outside the door, causing Lucy's brow to furrow in confusion and Mira to shriek in alarm.

"She's here! Give me a second, I'll be right back…I promise!"

But before the seamstress can move, the shop door opens and a knight with raven black hair steps inside the door.

"King Zeref, Queen Mavis and Prince Natsu have arrived," he announces sternly, thumping his closed fist over his heart.

His eyes alight on Mira and Lucy and he adopts a more casual, friendly tone. "Oh, I didn't realize you had another appointment, Mira."

"I'm not…" Lucy began, but the Queen herself was entering the shop and her mouth dried up.

"Mira!" Queen Mavis says fondly. To Lucy's consternation, the two women start hugging like old friends.

Queen Mavis is a tiny woman with blonde hair cascading down to her ankles and the most beautiful aquamarine eyes that Lucy has ever seen. The Queen peers up at her.

"Your majesty," Lucy curtsies deeply, feeling odd about being on the wooden box while doing so. Peasants such as herself should greet royalty from a lowered position.

"None of that now, you're amongst friends, milady," Queen Mavis chides gently.

 _Friends? Mira is friends with the Queen of Fiore?_ Lucy stares agog at the dressmaker, who merely shrugs. She knew Mira was talented, but she didn't think she sewed clothes for nobility.

King Zeref and Prince Natsu enter the shop. The knight closes the door behind them and then stands sentinel near the entrance.

"I have your dress ready for the ball, Mavis. Let me just run to the back and get it." Mira chirps happily. Lucy can't believe she is addressing the Queen so informally.

But her sense of propriety shatters when she catches sight of the pink-haired man. He isn't looking at her; he's engaged in deep discussion with his brother, the King.

"Acnologia in the Southern provinces seems set to wage war against us," King Zeref cautions.

Prince Natsu gives a dismissive snort. "Acnologia, huh? Well, don't worry, two can play at that game."

"This is war, my brother. Any number can play," King Zeref rebukes.

The King's black eyes find Lucy inside the room. Lucy blood fires with embarrassment at overhearing what is obviously a private conversation. Not for the first time, she's thankful she's unable to blush. Her peculiar ailment of not being able to feel heat means her expression is cool and impassive, as befitting of a noble lady.

"Well, hello, what have we here?" King Zeref asks, his voice full of amusement.

"I'm…Lucy, your grace," she says, keeping her eyes downcast as she curtsies.

"Lucy," the King says kindly, "I thought I knew all the highborn women in my kingdom. Please allow me to introduce you to my brother, Prince Natsu."

"My Prince," she curtsies again, still looking at the ground. She releases the dress clutched between her fingers, letting the material fall around her.

"Here, let me help you down from there, milady," Prince Natsu says solicitously, offering his hand. Lucy looks up and mets onyx eyes that glint like charcoal embers as he stares at her. She swallows thickly, placing her small hand into his much larger one.

And…for the first time in her life, she feels warmth.

"I'm Natsu Dragneel." His voice low and smouldering. His face has sharp, sweeping planes—high cheekbones, straight nose, full lips—midnight eyes vivid and thick-lashed.

Lucy looks down at their entwined hands in wonder. _Heat._ She has always wondered what it would feel like. Flames rush up her body, causing her face to flush, but she feels an even stronger inferno within as molten lava fills her veins—rushing from her face like lightning…pooling downward to cause a burning sensation through every pore of her body.

She had no idea heat came in waves, like the ocean. The feeling overwhelming her as she grips Natsu's hand like a lifeline. Even though she knows she's acting oddly, Natsu steadies her without comment.

The pleasure from feeling heat for the very first time staggers her. Even though he's just holding her hand, the way Natsu's looking down at her…it feels like he's embracing her. His simmering gaze envelopes her and stokes the flames building inside of her. She nibbles at her bottom lip to keep from whimpering.

Mira clears her throat awkwardly and Lucy finally remembers that she shouldn't be doing this.

 _What is she thinking, holding the Prince's hand in the middle of a dress shop?_ She tries to loosen her hand, but Natsu won't let her go. He's looking down at her as if he's never felt warmth before, either.

"I'm Lucy."

She feels Natsu's hand tremble slightly within her own, then his fingers tighten more securely around hers.

"Lucy…" he says her name like a benediction.

That's all it took.

In that moment, Lucy Heartfilia fell in love with the Crown Prince of Fiore.

Gajeel Redfox bursts into the room. The knight who accompanied the royal family draws his sword out in one smooth motion, the blade coming to rest two inches from the blacksmith's neck.

Gajeel doesn't pause, ignoring the blade completely as his red eyes find her.

"Lucy, Aquarius is looking for you."

 _Oh shit._

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 _A/N - This will be a short fic (probably no more than five chapters), and it wouldn't have a regular updating schedule the way Request Board Romance does._

 _It was my birthday a couple of days ago (Feb. 28) and my sweet friend, Satyrykal, wrote me a Fairy Tail story with a Beauty and the Beast twist, called The Edge. It is gorgeously written and I implore you to read it. She's an amazing writer, I promise. This was one of the best birthday gifts I have ever received. It's one of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever gotten. While I was thinking of how I was ever going to repay her, the idea for this story (based on her saying Cinderella was her favourite fairytale), came to me yesterday._

 _I am either really late or super early for your birthday, Satyrykal, but I hope you enjoy this fic!_

 _Since I have written it in one day, there may be grammar or spelling errors. Please feel free to drop me a PM and I will correct them. Thank you!_


	2. Chapter 2: Embers

**Chapter Two: Embers**

Natsu Dragneel was born in fire.

In the year of the Long Drought, when the sun had relentlessly beat down on the lands of Fiore, causing the soil to bake and crack, on the hottest day of the high summer, a Prince was born.

A wildfire had spread from the nearby forest – encroaching, but never breaching the castle walls. The Queen had been too far along in her labour to safely move, so it was said that the Prince came into this world in the heat of flames.

Pink-haired, pink-skinned, crying inconsolably when the midwife gave him his first bath to clean off the afterbirth.

He had always hated the water.

As a child, he could never be coaxed to have more than a few sips of liquid. He fought bathtime with a darting slipperiness that earned him the nickname of Salamander.

He learned to swim only because his father threatened to drown him if he didn't—earning his father an offended, narrow-eyed glare from his mother—so his father offered instead that his brother, Zeref, be the one to teach him.

He had always adored Zeref and would do anything to spend time with him; but was by necessity a quick learner. Even the presence of his revered brother couldn't offset his repulsion at feeling cool water against his bare skin.

Raindrops pelting him felt slimy and weird and just plain _wrong._ He preferred the burning sunlight, the roaring hearth, the expanse of desert underneath his sandaled feet. He never got too hot or felt too dry. He worshipped the sun.

He eschewed vegetables, fruits and rice when he was young, preferring meat. Always meat. With the hottest spices available in the kingdom lathered on his food. Never touching a drop of water to dampen the burn on his tongue. His carnivorous tastes along with his ferocious fighting skills garnered him the moniker, The Fire Dragon.

As he aged, he learned to adapt to water somewhat. His sensitive nose couldn't tolerate a stink, so he was forced to bathe regularly. So adamant was his loathing that his father commissioned the best architects in the land to find a way that he wouldn't have to submerge his body fully in order to get clean. He preferred his 'shower' much more than a tub. It was quicker and easier. Zeref had been so impressed by the shower, he had one made for himself.

Those golden years of his youth soon faded. He wasn't even ten years old and Zeref was only fifteen when they started losing people. Their mother died first. Natsu missed her the most, because their father seemed to die that day, too. The King seemed to slip into shadow, losing substance...until one day he was completely gone, and Zeref was the new King. It happened gradually yet somehow all at once.

The brothers forged ahead. That's what it was called – as if they were berries that needed to be continuously plucked; insinuation being if left to their own devices, they would run wild and rampant. Maybe they would have. If not for Mavis.

Mavis looked small and soft. Blonde hair cascading like a waterfall almost down to her ankles, gentle cyan eyes that missed nothing. Your first impression of her was _delicate._ Even though she was anything but frail. She was fiercely intelligent, with a keen military understanding and was invaluable as a battle tactician.

Maybe it was seeing his brother's happiness with Mavis that had first planted the seed for what he desired in a potential mate. A girl with inner strength even if she looked as fragile as spun glass.

Maybe on some level, Natsu had been searching for _her_ all along.

* * *

 _Present Day…_

Natsu had gone along with Zeref and Mavis into the village on the pretense of giving status reports. A shoddy excuse—he could have stayed behind and written a report—really he just wanted to be around his brother.

Time with Zeref was precious and as Lord Commander, it was his sworn duty to protect the kingdom of any insurgents or threats. 'King' Acnologia had no claims to the throne, was not of noble birth and seemed uninterested in caring for the land or people he seized…or so the scant gossip leaking out of the Southern region told.

It was said that Acnologia only had one desire — absolute destruction. The rumours swirled that he was born of dragon's blood, was hundreds of years old, and could shapeshift using dark magic.

Stuff and nonsense, was Natsu's opinion. Tavern minstrels will weave any tale as long as it kept the coin and strong ale flowing. Acnologia was an ordinary man just as he was an ordinary man. And men could be killed.

The Dragneel brothers trailed listlessly behind a buoyant Mavis. Natsu had thought initially his brother and the woman made an odd couple, Mavis was so light and Zeref was dark — but they were two sides of the same coin and complimented each other the way the sun compliments the moon.

His sister-in-law was giddy with excitement during the past few weeks about an upcoming Grand Ball being thrown inside the castle in honour of Natsu's 25th birthday. He doesn't need such pomp and ceremony, but Mavis was so gentle-hearted, he couldn't refuse her wishes.

Zeref drew his attention by muttering in a low voice, "It's not just the Southern provinces, Natsu. There's faint rumblings coming from The Graveyard Seas of ships being wrecked on shores…all the goods still intact and onboard, but every last man gone, no trace of them anywhere."

Natsu sighed. He normally was the impulsive one, but Zeref had been jumpy lately. The pinkette ran a hand through his hair.

"Gossip and fabrication from bored scullery maids and fish-mongers," he denounced, "Our borders are protected and we haven't seen or heard anything concrete enough to march armies off and plunge Fiore into a full-scale war. As long as Acnologia stays on his side, we can't worry too much about it. Fiore needs our protection, that's the priority."

Zeref opened his mouth to speak, but Mavis called out.

"I'm just going to take a quick peek inside here, love," She darted inside _another_ shop.

They had visited an alarming number of merchants that day. Natsu hadn't realized before how much women loved to _shop._ He'd been bored out of his skull for the vast majority of it, filling his brother in on the happenings of various duchies and manors he'd visited on his latest circuit around the kingdom. He began relying his status reports early that morning, but had run out of things to say well before noon.

He would gladly forfeit Zeref bringing up Acnologia every other sentence, but he understood that his brother, as King, needed to keep a close eye on such things. Natsu wasn't worried—if the threats turned out to be real and not just mere heresay, he would take the usurper down. Let Zeref worry about the politics and leave the strategies to Mavis. The direct route had always worked best for him and he saw no reason to change now. The brothers discussed it at length, each saying their same opinions multiple times in slightly different ways, neither changing the other's mind.

Mavis was consumed in her preparations, but promised the dress shop was their final destination. Natsu had been so inundated, he was well past the point of caring.

He smelled her before he saw her. He had been fixated on with the conversation with Zeref—repetitive though it may be—it still beat shopping. So he didn't notice at first the gentle scent of petrichor and silk wafting up to soothe his senses. His muscles started to relax and his normally rigid guard slipped down as soon as he entered the dress shop.

He didn't notice his hearing becoming muted, or his sharp eyes becoming hazier. The beguiling scent lulled him into a dreamlike state.

Then he saw her.

Blonde hair with golden sparks that winked in the sunlight when she bowed her head to his brother and curtsied. Her skin milky white but with a sheen like pearls. She was wearing a pale green and white dress.

She was a Water Goddess arriving on a wave of seafoam.

"Here, let me help you down from there, milady." Natsu offered up his hand to assist her descent from the wooden box she was perched on.

Skittish topaz eyes hit him full force and he felt all the air leave his lungs. She placed her soft, cool hand in his own.

And for the first time in Natsu Dragneel's life, he felt _thirsty._

His hand moved to interlock their fingers by sheer instinct and a primal wave of longing sizzled through his veins. Natsu let his emotions carry him for a few heartbeats.

 _Protect her,_ a voice from deep within resonated through his bones.

A flush crept up her face, but she held his steady gaze. She looked at him like she was seeing the scattering sky fragment into stars and he was the light that would guide her home.

 _I will,_ he vowed to the inner voice _._ He tightened his hold on her hand, not fully understanding what was going on, but whatever it was, it felt good. It felt _right._

She said her name.

"Lucy…" He repeated, just to taste the syllables on his parched tongue.

A slight cough. Mira.

Lucy tried to loosen her hand and his brows knitted together in confusion. _No._ She wasn't going to slip through his fingers.

He heard the chimes of the door opening, but was unconcerned. That was Gray's job. But a huge man with long black hair was standing there, filling up the space. Unafraid of sharp steel against his throat and obviously unimpressed by royalty. He didn't bow before his brother or kneel in front of his Queen. The insolent man was searching for the blonde girl beside Natsu, whose hand he held so tightly.

"Lucy, Aquarius is looking for you," the intruder said, breaking the spell.

* * *

Natsu whirled so that Lucy was hidden behind him. _She's mine._ He bared his teeth and growled at the newcomer.

The brutish man covered in iron studs held his hands up peaceably. Natsu could feel Lucy pressing against his arm, peeking out from behind him.

"She can't find me here, Gajeel." His water goddess sounded upset, but not at the man in front of them.

Gajeel snorted and rolled his strange crimson eyes. "No shit. Especially with you dressed like that."

Natsu's nose wrinkled at that. How was his goddess dressed? Like the celestial heavens themselves had opened up? But the stupid metal-face started talking again.

"Ya gonna use that thing or get it outta my face?" Gajeel looked down to the sword still at his throat, a challenge in his voice as he met Gray's eyes.

"Haven't decided yet." Gray said honestly.

The two men studied each other, each weighing options. Gajeel was armed, but he made no move to reach for his own weapons.

Natsu felt Lucy's body quake in fear. That won't do.

"Put it away, Gray. He's obviously a friend to Lucy." Natsu pulled the girl beside him who quickly nodded.

The knight flicked a glance at him, his face impassive but Natsu could read the question in the sapphire eyes. ' _We're worried about this Lucy now?'_ But when Natsu shot him a return look, he sheathed the blade.

"I can make better," Gajeel said blithely.

Gray sneered, "Not likely."

"Seriously, I can. That blade is about two inches too short for you. Come to my smithy, Black Steel." The iron-studded man unclasped a dagger at his side, handing it over to Gray hilt-first. The knight took it, feeling the weight and studying the craftsmanship. His eyebrow raised an infinitesimal amount.

"Maybe I will," Gray cast a sidelong glance at Prince Natsu, then handed back the blade.

King Zeref and Queen Mavis were studying the scene carefully. Natsu taking an interest in a woman? Some brooding idiot crashing into the seamstress' shop? The hulking man looked completely out of place among the soft fabrics, ribbons and dress forms around him—too black and hardened for such gentle, feminine things.

Husband and wife exchanged secret smiles. This day of shopping had just gotten _a lot_ more interesting.

"Natsu...I can't be seen here. I have to change," Lucy gestured down to her gorgeous green dress. Mira nodded in agreement, grabbing the blonde's arm and hauling her with such force that Lucy stumbled a bit to stand near the silver-haired woman. The pink-haired Prince felt a chill once she was no longer beside him.

"Can you distract Aquarius?" Mira asked Gajeel.

"No. Not any more."

" _Shit…_ " The normally ladylike Mira never cursed, and certainly not in front of royalty.

Natsu, Mavis and Zeref grasped the situation immediately. Whoever this 'Aquarius' was, it was obvious that Lucy didn't want to see her and her two friends were trying to protect her.

So they would, too.

Mavis's eyes took on a steely gleam of determination, looking to Gajeel. "If you lead me to this Aquarius, I can buy some time."

Gajeel canted his head to the side, flummoxed that the King and Queen would be willing to help a commoner and stranger so quickly…even if Lucy was wearing some fancy-schmancy ball gown.

"Thank you." He said gravely with a small, deferential bow. Queen Mavis gave her beatific smile.

Natsu nodded approvingly. Whoever this Gajeel was, he made weapons well enough to impress Gray and wanted to help his blonde goddess.

That was good enough for him.

His brother must have been thinking the same thing, because he quietly added, "Mavis my love, I'll go with you. Surely having both the King and Queen in front of this creature will buy Lucy whatever time she needs."

Zeref shared a glance with Natsu, both brothers possessing the exact same shade of black quartz eyes. Zeref bobbed his head and without further fanfare, he, Mavis, Gray and Gajeel exited the shop.

"This dress is for Mira's sister," Lucy blurted out. Her skin was pale again and she was trembling.

"My sister lives in Crocus, her wedding is in a few weeks. Lucy was just helping me as she's close to Lisanna's measurements. I have what I need, now we have to get you out of here." Mira pushed Lucy to the back room, presumably to change.

Natsu was left standing in the now-deserted dress shop front room by himself. He looked around at the bolts of cloth on the wall, then at the wooden spools of thread lined up neatly on a long wooden table: colours arranged from snow white to darkest pitch black with every conceivable colour in between. Natsu paced the room.

Waiting. Languishing. Losing patience.

At the end of his (very short) tether, he marched to the back where he heard the fretful voice of Mira. There was a small door at the end of a shadowy hallway with light spilling out, blocked by a simple blue curtain. He yanked open the cloth barrier and two startled faces turned to look at him. Lucy was almost dressed, but this time in a rough, course brown dress that had blotchy stains on it. Natsu had never cared what women look like…but there was something about putting a woman so angelic in a dress so shoddy that seemed to defile her.

"Prince Natsu!" Mira gasped, "You should never walk in on a lady while she's changing."

But Natsu doesn't hear her, because Lucy was staring at him again with her hot butterscotch eyes, making him feel like the most powerful being in Fiore.

"It's alright, Mira. We were just about done. I can finish the back ties myself, I've done it hundreds of times." Lucy answered in her soft, hesitant voice.

"I would like to have a moment with Lucy, if that's okay with you." Natsu rarely pulled rank, but he stood up a bit straighter, hitting Mira with a level gaze.

"Oh, alright! Just don't take too long, she has to be back at her stall soon or there will be Fates to pay." Mira must worship The Three then. Not altogether surprising for a seamstress. She huffed away, muttering under her breath about _'what sort of establishment am I running here?'_ but he only had senses for his goddess.

"You really shouldn't be here," Lucy said, but she was smiling, too.

"Do you want me to go?"

"No." Such a simple word, but the admission sent a zing straight to his heart.

"Lucy...something happened to me when I first saw you," Natsu rushed out the words, afraid she might not believe him.

"Oh?" Her hands dangled at her sides and she stood frozen…waiting. He briefly wondered if she was a huntress. Such stillness was unnatural for most people.

"Yes...I felt something...here…" he placed his hand over his heart.

She looked at him from slightly downcast eyes, through her thick black eyelashes. "I felt something, too." Her voice a lapping wave at low tide.

She reached out to touch his forearm and her pale skin started to change. From the pallor of fresh cream it took on an apricot hue, then peach, to finally rose-pink staining her cheeks.

"I have never felt heat..before...before today." She confessed like it was a sin and he was a priest to absolve her.

"Before today? You mean at all?" He couldn't imagine never feeling the sun. But it wasn't much different from his own affliction, was it?

"You touched my hand, and I felt heat...Prince Natsu," she looked at him with such trust in her eyes that he wanted to wrap his arms around her and tell her he would always protect her.

"I…" How could he explain the _thirst,_ the unquenchable desire he felt the second he laid eyes on her? The voice inside his head whispering in his blood that she was _his?_ He didn't think he had the words. He never liked talking when he could be doing _something,_ anyway.

He stalked toward her, a predatory glint in his onyx eyes. "You only feel heat when I'm touching you?"

She backed up a bit, but the dressing room was small and he was _not._

"Do you like me touching you, Luce?"

She shuddered visibly at his somber, beckoning voice. "My Prince, we should be getting back outside, my step-mother is looking for me." But she moved no further.

"Hmmm…" He mumbled distractedly. Her scent was so much better up close. No silk on her body now, but the petrichor scent was there, wafting up to his nostrils. He closed his eyes and leaned into her, just to savour it. Lucy gave a small mewl and he opened his eyes once again.

She had gorgeous lips. _Plush._ The word invoked velvet cushions. Someplace soft that you want to linger on for a long, long time. She was looking at him expectantly. He lifted one hand to sculpt her beautiful spun gold hair, lifting and smoothing it back over her ear. She raised one shaky hand and placed it over his heart.

… And then the girl who never felt heat and the boy who never needed water kissed.

* * *

Lucy felt her heartbeat hammering in her chest as she watched the Prince of Fiore move in slowly toward her. Letting her know his intent, watching her with careful, obsidian eyes that had golden embers flickering in them.

Her eyelids fluttered closed and her lips parted slightly, her breath fanning his face, touching his skin. Natsu moved down, bumping his nose against hers, nuzzling. Her fingers flexed over the fabric of his leather jerkin, clutching at him. He kept the one hand threaded through her hair, tugging gently to raise her neck to meet him, the other hand pressed against the wall above her.

"Natsu…" her voice reedy and strained to her own ears. If she had time to think about it, she would have never allowed something like this to happen. It was too ridiculous, too fast, too _weird_ to even contemplate. She was about to share her first kiss in 22 years with the Crown Prince of Fiore in the back of a dress shop.

She was glad she had no time to think, because Natsu's eyes were feral and hungry.

She was hungry, too.

He slanted his mouth over hers and something seems to happen in that moment. The heat expanded inside her chest, full to bursting, wet and hot clashing and blending, melding together perfectly. She opened her lips further and he snaked his hot, muscled tongue inside her moaning mouth.

Her heart beating like some new-caught wild thing, battering against its bone and marrow rib cage, the flames consuming everything in her. He deepened the kiss, fuller…hotter…wetter. She sighed, pulling at his coral hair, wanting _more._

"What do you two think you're doing?" Mira yelped, taking in the sight of the Prince and her friend locked in a very intimate embrace.

"Wonderous things. You wouldn't understand," Natsu told her, pulling the curtain closed in Mira's face, then leaning down to kiss Lucy again.

She really was a goddess, her plump lips and saturated tongue danced with his own mouth, pooling deep desire within him, all hard wet and scorching.

"Nat…" the words died in her throat as his lips claimed hers once more, causing the smouldering sparks to feed the blazing sensation she felt clear down to her toenails.

 _What was she going to say again?_ Something unimportant. She recklessly wound her arms around him, stroking strong back and shoulder muscles, tasting him in her mouth. She was boiling over, the heat all-consuming, all-encompassing, burning away all doubt.

 _This._ All she wanted was _this._

"Lucy!" Mira was suddenly _right there,_ a peeved expression on her face.

The blonde broke free of Natsu's additive lips, but doesn't let him go. For the first time in her life, she was flushed and sweaty.

"You need to _go,_ " Mira said.

Aquarius. The stall. Levy.

The last caused her to drop her arms and wrest free of Natsu's tangling, delicious limbs. If she doesn't get back to the stall, if the King and Queen haven't bought her enough time, Levy will be punished for her sins.

"My Prince…" she started.

"After what we just did, I think you can call me Natsu," he grinned down at her. She had to bite her lip to stop from beaming back at him. Being here, with him…it felt like a fairytale but was somehow a thousand times more real than her listless half-life back at the Keep with Aquarius and her step-sisters.

She fluffed out her mussed hair, then smoothed down her dress, her thumb catching on the small hole at her waist. She threw her apron over head.

"I have to go," she reminded him, her eyes reluctant, but her steps sure as she moved around him, following Mira to the front of the dress shop.

A jerk on her apron strings halted her from behind.

"Lucy...you're scared to go back. Stay. Stay with me. I can protect you." Natsu's eyes were bright and his grip was firm. She almost melted at the sound of his words.

But if she never returned, they would hurt Levy.

"I have to protect myself," she answered, she jaw clenched. Natsu flinched under her unrelenting gaze.

Mira knocked Natsu's hands off her apron strings and quick as a flash, tied them up for her. "Lucy is right, she needs to go back. There's things you don't know... _can't know._ I can try to explain them to you after she's gone. But she needs to leave _now."_

Natsu and Lucy still stared at each other, pain etched on their faces.

"It will be okay," Mira murmured reassuringly.

 _It wouldn't._

The thought echoed through all three of them: Prince, seamstress, slave. But Lucy plucked up her skirts in one hand and with one last, beseeching look at Natsu, she was gone.

* * *

 ** _A/N - I hope this chapter turned out okay! Please let me know your thoughts! This story is a gift for my amazing friend, Satyrykal! She writes Boiling Point and The Edge, both of which are fantastic and very much worth the read._**

* * *

 ** _I sincerely apologize for the change of tense. Chapter 1 was present tense, this chapter is past tense. I had both in here and it was jarring. I tried my best to put this chapter into present tense, but the flow was being sacrificed. All future chapters will be in present tense! I hope to fix this one as soon as I can._**

 ** _Thank you to the amazing Freyjabee who gave some sound advice. She is an amazing writer, and I appreciated her input! I admire her a lot. She was super helpful when I cried on her shoulder over the past/present tense problem. I have agonized for days, but I have to move on because the whole thing was driving me insane._**

* * *

 ** _In case anyone doesn't know, The Fates are Clotho (who spins the cloth), L_** ** _achesis (who draws out the cloth) and Atropos who cuts the thread of life. Greek Mythology has always fascinated me. These are 'The Three' that Mira worships._**

 ** _A huge thank you to ALL of you. The first chapter of If The Shoe Fits reached almost 100 followers before I updated today. That's just unbelievable to me, thank you from the bottom of my heart!_**

 ** _A special shout-out to my reviewers. I eat reviews up with a spoon! They really warm my heart. My extra hugs go to Satyrykal, BeachBumBabe, Larissa, stranger1999, ShanaHollows, Glass Dragon's Rose (love that name, btw!), tonialla, firelover11, noseinabook145, Bakers28, MotherofDragons1227, AzmariaMinochi, MasterGildarts, silver light of dawn, gingershipper, mayu05, waiting for you443, YukiMC, FreyjaBee, and artistofthemind!_**


	3. Chapter 3 - Percolate

**Chapter Three: Percolate**

* * *

 _ **Happy Birthday, Satyrykal! You're brilliant and deserve to be spoiled today! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Cheers!**_

* * *

Lucy ran.

She ran blindly, banging her hip into the wooden door to barge it open, sprinting from Mira's dress shop, stumbling out into the sunlit street and onto the road.

She refuses to look back. Lucy knows if the prince hovers near the door, the idea of running _away_ from Natsu's smouldering eyes and soft lips will have her turning right back around to leap into his arms.

So she ran – trying to outpace her confusion, her fears, and her desires.

 _Levy._ She needs to find her best friend.

She slips on loose gravel, her ankle barking in pain. Fear spreads like hoarfrost up her spine.

The blonde twists her foot back to the correct angle, gingerly putting some weight on it, but it's no use, she's definitely sprained it. Sharp spikes of agony shoot up her leg with each frantic step. Lucy ignores it as best she can – she's had far worse injuries. Her entire focus on getting back to the stall before her stepmother decides to take her considerable ire out on her pixie-haired friend.

 _Gajeel will keep her safe,_ she reminds herself. But only in public. Once they get back to the Keep and away from prying eyes and gossipy housewives, there's no telling what Aquarius might do.

She grinds to a halt at the corner of Black Steel, Gajeel's smithy. Lucy raises one hand to her brow, almost sagging with relief that it's cool and dry to the touch once again, all trace of Natsu's kisses erased.

She didn't know if by touching Prince Natsu meant he'd activated something long dormant inside of her, or if she could only feel simmering heat while they were touching each other. It appears to be the latter.

If Lucy could blush, she would be doing so. She gives her forearm a sharp pinch to pull herself together.

 _Levy. Make sure Levy's safe,_ she reminds herself sternly.

Lucy rounds the edge of the building, her face smooth. She sets her pace to a brisk walk (as much as her left foot will allow, it feels more rubbery with each step.) There's no need to panic. Not yet. She needs to keep her wits about her.

"There you are!" Aquarius' voice sweeps over her like a tidal wave. The taller woman stands with her arms crossed in irritation, pale blue eyes narrowing as she drinks in Lucy's appearance, scanning the young girl from head to toe.

"Cinderella, where have you been?"

 _Shit._ Her stepmother only calls her 'Cinderella' when she's exceptionally angry.

Queen Mavis clears her throat and suddenly, Lucy sees _something._ Brushing right into her mind like a gentle puff of wind, an image forms: a ghost-version of herself carrying bundles of heavy cloth to the Queen's carriage. The illusion shifts, and the phantom Lucy's hauling boxes of hats from the milliner.

The soft pressure against her mind retracts, the vision fading into nothing on a swirling, floral breeze. Lucy shudders, locking eyes with the queen. Mavis dips her chin down in a slight, apologetic nod.

 _Magic. The queen has magic._ The words register some place deep within her, but the blonde has never seen anyone cast a spell before. Her friend Cana claims to possess clairvoyance, using tarot cards, but the blonde has never had her fortune told, so she can't lay claim if Cana's predictions are true or just drunken ramblings.

 _Or drunken ramblings about true things._ Cana is well known in certain specks of Fiore and makes her living as a wandering gypsy.

Lucy has known the soothsayer since they were children, but in all those long years, she has never met anyone else who laid claim to having a single drop of wizard's blood.

Yet in the past hour, she's experienced heat by touching the Prince of Fiore, and now Mavis slipped into her mind as easily as cracking an egg.

 _Who are these people?_

Lucy glances at the King, the raven-haired man standing off to the side, his sharp eyes missing nothing, but he looks normal enough (insofar as it's possible for royalty to look casual.)

If Zeref possesses magic, he seems content to let others show their hands first.

Lucy bows her head low. _Later._ She'll have to try to figure out what's going on with the Dragneel family later.

Aquarius taps her foot impatiently, waiting for her answer.

"I was helping Queen Mavis pack a few things into her carriage, Aquar... _mother._ " Lucy corrects herself, placing her hands into the pockets of her apron, yanking at the inside lining with the edges of her fingertips.

"Did you doubt my wife?" King Zeref asks in a deceptively soft voice, his eyes flaring and changing colour – a wet scarlet bleeding over the black-ice depths.

It's a look that frightens Lucy to her very core. Her heart halts, she can't _breathe…_

Zeref blinks and the moment's gone, his irises spilling into black ink once more.

 _I must've imagined it,_ Lucy thinks. Because whatever she just _saw_ _…_ a haze of violet shrouding the king…it felt so _wrong._ It felt like.. _._

 _…death._

But that can't be right. She swallows thickly, looking closer at the noirette.

Zeref doesn't acknowledge her discomfort, doesn't even glance her way. He looks bored, plucking at a thread on his jacket, pulling it loose. The black filament catches the wind, fluttering to the ground near her stepmother's feet.

An ill-omen, to tug at a strand of thread. For those who worship the Fates, as Mira does, as Lucy and her family do, all loose fibers must be carefully snipped with scissors. To pull one loose carelessly, to unravel the fabric of something that once was tightly stitched…such an affront to The Three is not easily forgiven. The Fates are not known for their generosity.

Aquarius blanches as the black wisp of thread drifts to touch her shoe, stepping to one side to shake it off. She smooths back her hair nervously, pale fingers brushing against the circlet she wears. She drops her hands into an imploring gesture, her voice taking on a sticky honey quality that Lucy has never heard before.

"Your highness, I merely wanted to discern if my darling daughter was alright. The hour's late and she was up far too early. She insists on helping with the daily chores, even though we have Lacey for that." Aquarius gives a curt nod toward Levy, who stands as tall as her small frame allows, unintimidated and unafraid. She has always been braver than Lucy. But the small blunette wasn't stupid enough to correct Aquarius on her actual name in front of the regency. That would be tantamount to a death wish.

"I hope we didn't inconvenience you," Queen Mavis offers, raising one delicate eyebrow at matron, the air around them growing thicker with every breath.

"Of course not, your majesty," Aquarius says quickly, bending her knees in a half-curtsy. She straightens, levelling a glare at Lucy to let her know that she will be questioned _thoroughly_ once they're alone.

Zeref and Mavis intercept the look.

"Your girl is quite remarkable, milady," Zeref cuts in, his voice coloured with a hint of surprise and respect. "It's rare to see such devotion these days. I admit I find shopping to be quite tiresome," he adds. "I only meant to buy a book for myself and insisted Gray follow and protect my wife in my absence. Not wanting to encumber Gray with packages while on he's on duty, the Queen procured your daughter for a time."

"I'm afraid my husband is right." The tiny woman shrugs, standing a bit closer to Zeref, a sheepish blush spreading across her cheeks. As her eyes flit around the group, Mavis zeros in on Aquarius.

"I only meant to get a few things for the upcoming ball, but I got quite ahead of myself. I needed someone to assist me in picking up several items. Your daughter seemed honest enough and she was willing to help." Mavis cants her head toward Lucy, the queen's silvery-gold locks falling over one shoulder at the motion.

"Cinderella is quite _helpful,"_ Aquarius replies tartly. "If she managed to make your time at the market more enjoyable, then she has done her duty well. We only live to serve, your Majesties." The blunette clasps her hands in front of her, curling her shoulders inward in a submissive manner.

 _Don't believe her!_ Lucy wants to scream, but keeps her expression placid.

"I thought you said your name was Lucy?" The queen wrinkles her brow in confusion, her face unreadable. Mavis asks the question without real interest. Royals don't usually notice commoners, after all.

Aquarius lets her gaze flicker between Zeref and Mavis, trying to discern who's the real power between them. She swivels to the queen, adopting a soothing tone.

"Merely a pet-name, your highness. My daughter isn't able to feel heat, you see. It's rather a strange affliction. When Lucy was a little girl, she would often play far too close to the fireplace. Anyone else, their skin would be melting from their bones...but not Lucy," Aquarius draws in a deep breath, "Our little cinder girl, that's what my late husband called her."

 _Her father never said any such thing!_

The blonde bites the inside of her cheek to keep the fiery retort from spitting out. She stands as straight as the fireplace poker whose scars she bears underneath her clothes, thanks to Aquarius.

It had been a _grand experiment_ to watch her blister and burn (her stepmother's words); Lucy couldn't feel the heat of the red-hot iron, but she had certainly felt the pain.

Aquarius gives her arm a brief squeeze. To anyone else, it would look like a mother's affectionate touch. The blonde knows the biting grip is a warning.

"It was a term of endearment," Lucy adds timidly. Aquarius lips quirk up and she loosens her white-knuckled grasp on her stepdaughter's bicep.

Lucy brushes her apron down, sparing one quick glance up at her tormenter, finding only glistening hatred in the aquamarine depths as her stepmother holds her gaze.

Lucy whimpers. Cowering. Insipid. Meek. Aquarius lets out a satisfied grunt, pulling herself away from the little brat.

 _Good. She thinks I'm obedient._

Aquarius steps toward Mavis and Zeref once again; raising a delicate perfumed lace cloth to her nose, as if her stepdaughter smells bad. Lucy resists the urge to sniff at herself. Her brown dress might be worn and unshapely, but she takes good care of her clothes and bathes daily in the stream behind the Keep. There's no use in bothering to lug buckets of hot water up the stairs to pour into a copper tub when she can't feel heat. She hauls enough teakettles and pails for Minerva, Sorano and Aquarius' baths.

"I hope you were able to find the things you need for the grand ball," Aquarius says, inhaling the square of fabric deeply.

"I was," Queen Mavis confirms, "Lucy helped with some of the directions to various shops, as well. Of course, we will pay you for the time that we took her away from you." Mavis gestures Gray forward, who had previously been standing like a stone beside Gajeel, neither man interfering on Crown business.

The knight hands a bloodred velvet pouch to Mavis, coins clinking heavily against each other. She accepts it with a nod of thanks.

'Your Majesty, that's hardly necessary," Aquarius protests demurely, but her tall frame trembles in anticipation.

"Nonsense," Mavis has to crane her neck to meet her stepmother's eyes, but Lucy sees in the queen a strength that has nothing to do with her exalted position or magic. "The Dragneels pride themselves on seeing the true value of things. Loyalty and love are priceless, of course. But meeting such a fine house such as yours was an unexpected gift today." Queen Mavis drops three gold pieces and several silver ones into Aquarius' waiting hand.

Zeref adjusts his weight to his right hip, regarding the turquoise-haired matriarch. "Perhaps you heard there's a ball being held within the castle for my brother's upcoming birthday?"

"Yes, milord. Even in our tiny backwater Keep, news of the event has reached our ears. My two daughters... _er, Lucy's sisters,_ " Aquarius amends quickly, "have spoken of nothing else for weeks."

Lucy isn't surprised. Sorano and Minerva were always gushing about the palace, the grand balls, and the soirees that they were _never_ invited to (usually flinging themselves on a bed or across a table in despair over their bad luck). Both of the sisters confident if they were allowed inside the castle walls, they would find suitable men of high ranking to marry them.

Zeref clears his throat, swiping a hand through his pitch-black locks. "Simply present yourselves at the gate as Lady Aquarius and her three daughters. I'll make sure Gray adds your name to the list so the guards will let you in."

The knight gives a jerk of his head to show he's heard, but otherwise remains perfectly still.

"It would be an honour to attend, your majesty." Aquarius smiles, her face flushing in pleasure at the day's unexpected windfall.

 _Maybe I did something right for once?_ The blonde wonders. Even if meeting the royal family at Mira's dress shop had been nothing more than a strange coincidence.

Lucy isn't prone to daydreaming, but suddenly the idea of having both her stepsisters exit her father's house takes strong root in her mind. The tiny seed of thought flourishes instantly, blooming into an image that's at once dizzying and captivating.

 _This ball might be perfect._

There had to be a few wealthy men prowling for brides at such a prestigious event. Ones with manors far, far away from the little Keep her family occupies.

The Heartfilia name is more than likely to be met with a blank stare— _who?_ —but being invited to the Grand Ball will be considered a high mark of social status. Perhaps high enough that small dowries and an obscure name might be forgiven.

Besides, Minerva and Sorano are young, beautiful and healthy enough to bear a few heirs. Why _couldn't_ they find a match among the high-ranking men attending the Prince's birthday party?

 _If there's anyone who can stand to be around either of them for more than five minutes._

Lucy pushes the wayward thought aside. It has no place in her fantasy. Most marriages are still arranged in their part of the world, courtships quick. _Love_ doesn't enter the equation and she's seen both her stepsisters put on airs often enough. Their type of catty, backstabbing snobbery would probably fit right in with minor nobility.

 _Maybe one of them will take Aquarius with her when she marries!_ Lucy keeps the scandalous thought hidden from her face, but it settles like a blanket over her heart, this idea of all three of them leaving the keep, letting Lucy, Levy and Erza settle into a life of peace.

 _What a glorious day that would be._ Lucy hums under her breath, picturing herself waving happily to the departing backs of the three women who've made her life miserable for the past twelve years. Good riddance to the lot of them.

"It's a masque ball, so remember to wear your best costumes," Mavis says, threading her arm through Zeref's, looking eager to be on her way. Aquarius takes the hint, backing up a few steps as Gray melts like a shadow behind the king and queen.

As if summoned, the royal carriage comes into view, resplendent in shining black with a gilded gold motif, pulled by two coal stallions. The rig barely manages to come to a stop before the door whisks open. There's a flash of coral and then a handsome, long-limbed man tumbles to the ground, barely managing to land in a crouch.

"Ugh. Why don't you guys let me _walk?"_ Natsu asks to no one in particular. He clasps his knees, panting heavily.

Gajeel starts moving forward, standing almost in front of Lucy. She retreats a bit further behind the blacksmith's solid bulk.

 _You need to pretend that you don't know me, Natsu!_

Helping Queen Mavis as a servant is one thing, fraternizing with the Crown Prince of Fiore is something else entirely.

"My lord, it's so good of you to come to my humble smithy," Gajeel says slowly. Lucy snorts – barely managing to turn the sound into a choking cough. The noirette sounds like a shoddy performer in a bad play – nothing at all like the impervious iron brute that she knows.

Levy comes up beside her and gives the blonde a few sound whacks on the back as she splutters, using a tad more force than is strictly necessary.

Aquarius whirls toward them, irritation leaking out of her taut frame, causing Lucy's throat to dry up in terror, no longer finding anything funny about her current predicament. The malice radiating from her stepmother washes over her, sharp and bitter. Lucy wants to vomit.

Mavis' voice cuts across the air, shattering the tension like glass, inquiring about Minerva and Sorano's ages. Aquarius twists back to answer her and Lucy almost falls over in relief.

Once her stepmother's back is turned, Gajeel's gives her a fierce look – _I'm trying to help you!_

Lucy grimaces. _I know. I'm sorry,_ she mouths to the blacksmith _._ They're _all_ trying to help her. She wishes she didn't need it, but Aquarius is a force to be reckoned with. Gajeel reaches out to give her an awkward pat on the head, ruffling her golden tresses.

Natsu growls, the sound deep and predatory. He reaches fluidity for two daggers, the blades looking well used and wickedly sharp.

The prince takes two steps toward Gajeel.

Gray stretches out a hand, firmly clasping the pinkette's wrist. "My prince, if you want to compare steel, we should go inside the shop. However, I could inspect the weapons myself and report back...if you feel like returning to the castle," Gray nods to the carriage behind them, tugging one of the daggers from Natsu's hands, handing it casually to Gajeel.

"Your weapons will have to be better than this," Gray tells the blacksmith.

"I understand," Gajeel studies the blade. "I think you'll find…" he keeps talking, but his voice fades out for Lucy. She's gobbling up every inch of Natsu's muscular frame.

Natsu snorts, his dark eyes reaching hers. All of the air leaves Lucy's lungs in one shaky exhale.

"My Prince," Aquarius' glides up to him, cerulean dress flaring as she rests a proprietary hand on his forearm. "I'm Lady Aquarius of the House Heartfilia."

"Yeah?" Natsu barely glances down at her stepmother, his mouth forming a small moue as he shakes off her arm. The full weight of his stare settling back on Lucy.

The king and queen move as one, standing in front of the blonde, effectively cutting off her view of the prince. Levy slides effortlessly beside her, taking her hand and giving it a brief squeeze.

"Forgive my brother, milady," Zeref says, "He's just recently heard of Black Steel and as commander of my armies, he's anxious to inspect the weapons. His sense of duty is quite admirable, even if his manners are atrocious."

Aquarius waves off the king's apology. "Of course, your majesty. Mustn't keep you waiting. We've lingered long enough." Her voice the rasp of a whetting stone as she calls out, "Come, Lucy and Lacey. We should pack up the wagon and head home."

Lucy eyebrows shoot up in surprise. There are still a few hours of daylight left. This is the first time Aquarius hasn't demanded that the two younger girls stay until the bitter end of a market day – the miserly hag not wishing to miss out on the sale of a single turnip.

"Of course, Lady Aquarius," Levy bobs her chin, grabbing Lucy's hand to drag her over to the wooden crates to start packing up.

Lucy allows herself to be pulled, but Natsu isn't quite so compliant. Zeref, Gray, Mavis and Gajeel hem the prince in on four sides, like he's an exotic, unpredictable animal they need to cage rather than royalty. Zeref murmurs, his voice low and dangerous. Lucy can't make out the words.

Natsu throws up his hands in agitation, bristling and furious. He eyes Mavis, as the smallest one of the group, weighing options.

"Don't even _think_ about it, Natsu." Mavis says firmly, whispering something else. Whatever she says, it seems to calm him. He stops fidgeting, wrenching his body toward the blonde.

Lucy and Natsu's eyes met, liquid toffee to jet-black. Everything inside her chest seems to cave in and expand in that same moment.

She feels the pull between them once again. Undeniable. Elemental. Irresistible.

She can't help staring at his mouth, remembering how he kissed her. Lucy reaches up to touch her lips...absentmindedly searching for a warmth that's no longer there.

The prince offers her a jagged smile, his sharp canines scraping against his full bottom lip and her heart stutters.

 _I'll find you,_ his eyes promise her.

Before Lucy can react, Gray gives a slight push to the prince's shoulder and the group surges forward, disappearing through the doors of Black Steel—all except Gajeel—who's bringing up the rear.

To the blonde's immense relief, Aquarius isn't looking at her. She must have missed the heated moment Lucy has just shared with the prince. The older woman busy counting the day's profits, adding the meagre amount of jewels to the fortune Queen Mavis has just gifted her into a drawstring bag.

"See ya around, Bunny girl. You too, _Lacey,_ " Gajeel croons, the sunlight glinting off his iron-studded eyebrows.

 _Thuck!_

An apple hits the blacksmith right between the eyes. The fruit bounces to the ground, rolling back toward the tiny pixie girl who threw it.

"Gi-hi-hi-hi!" The sound of Gajeel's strange laugh cuts off when the door closes behind him.

Levy picks up the piece of fruit quickly, wiping it on her apron.

"Lacey! What's the meaning of this?" Aquarius fumes, seizing Levy by the shoulder with one clawed hand.

Levy's eyes widen innocently.

"There was a bee."

Lucy bites the inside of her cheek, shoulders shaking as she tries to contain the laughter bubbling up inside of her.

"That apple's coming out of your monthly salary." Aquarius announces firmly, waving a hand at the pair. "Now stop your theatrics and _hurry up!"_

Levy picks up a heavy crate and Lucy does the same, moving quickly out of sight and around the gray-stone building. At the hitching post, Aquarius' russet and cream horse, Antares, is tied off next to their bay gelding, Sagittarius.

With a careful glance behind them to make sure they're not being followed, Lucy says, "You should've known Aquarius was going to charge you for that apple."

"Yeah, I figured she would, but did you see the look on Gajeel's face? It was worth it." Levy takes out a small knife and deftly cuts the treat in half, giving an equal share to each horse.

"It _was_ pretty funny," Lucy admits, but her mind's on other things. _Princely things._ "Why don't you pack up while I carry the loads over to you? We'll get done faster that way."

Levy nods in agreement, hefting a box that has potatoes and onions mixed together into the wagon. "What's between you and the Prince? You guys were staring at each other."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Lucy climbs aboard the weather-stained planks, pushing her crate to the back corner, avoiding her best friend.

Levy McGarden isn't so easy to fool. Her snort of disbelief easily reaches the blonde's ears. " _Right._ Whatever you say, Lucy. Something's going on between the two of you."

Lucy carefully holds onto the wooden frame as she lowers herself back down to the ground, right foot first, her left one throbbing in her shoe. She wants to get home as soon as possible to tend it.

"You're hurt."

"It's a minor sprain, I'll be fine. Can we try to go faster? Erza will be able to fix it, and if I get some rest, I'll be good as new by tomorrow."

Levy opens her mouth as if to protest, but cinches it shut, splaying her hands on her hips..

"I'll be fine," the blonde promises, touching her friend's arm as she passes by. She hurries back to the stall.

"Where's the small one?" Aquarius snaps when she comes into view. Her stepmother throws a handful of pears on top of the two unsold cheese wheels. Lucy winces. She doesn't need Cana's tarot cards to figure out who'll be blamed if the soft cheese gets squished.

"Let me finish that up for you, before you get your dress dirty," she offers. Aquarius huffs, backing off, checking her silk gown for stains as Lucy moves to take her place. "I thought it would be better to leave Levy to guard while I got the rest of our things, mother."

"Very good, Lucy," the older woman intones, studying her stepdaughter as she works, the blonde's hands deft and sure as she sorts the produce around them. "I must say, helping the queen today, minding your manners, protecting our property...well, I didn't find you quite as irksome as I usually do."

Lucy keeps busy, giving herself the space of two breaths to formulate a proper answer. "I'm glad of it, mother."

Aquarius watches her carefully, saying. "We're on our way to Mira's, I want you to come with me. Lacey can finish the packing herself."

"Mira's?" Lucy squeaks, her numb arms almost dropping the load of carrots she's carting around like firewood. "Why do you want to go to Mira's?"

Aquarius gives a throaty chuckle. "You're such a silly little girl. Who else can make our costumes for the ball?"

With her stepmother looking at her with affection for the first time in over a decade, Lucy feels something foreign and strange surge through her veins. It feels like…

…hope.

 _She's going to Natsu's birthday party!_

* * *

 _A/N – I'm sorry this chapter took so long to get out. Since it's_ _ **Satyrykal's**_ _birthday today, no one's allowed to get mad at me. That's just how birthdays work. :)_

" _There was a bee," is a line from the movie, Ever After._

 _Please go read_ _ **Satyrykal's**_ _stories. She just updated_ _ **Boiling Point** (which is absolutely brilliant) __and_ _she's writing another Nalu story, **The Edge,** (based on __Beauty and the Beast). Both are absolutely glorious_ _ **.**_

 _ **Thank you to my lovely reviewers from last chapter!**_ _Mayu05, AzmariaAminohi, Guest, waiting-for-you443, TheLochNessy, Rein Serenity, Celistastar, noseinabook145, Pandachan120, JAKEDSNAKE, Mezatron, Guest, stranger1999, theycallmeBridge, MasterGildarts, Guest, FreyjaBee, beautifullove521, ShanaHollows, Duchixx, Firefly9917, artistofthemind, LoveroftheWord, FireFlameFly101 (x2), YukiMC, 0x illusion x0, Slash2104 (x2), Mihiwera, aspiringgeek (x2), FairyglitterXD, crazy and random child, quite-a-riot, Lunacross777, SinInABox, Lodemai04, Guest, Guest, monitorchick, itsxoi, Kendra and Aviend!_

 _ **And of course, the birthday girl herself,**_ _ **Satyrykal**_ _ **! xox**_


	4. Chapter 4 - Slipstream

**Chapter Four: Slipstream**

All Lucy can feel is _pain._

She tries to keep up with her step-mother, but her sprained ankle forces her to to take small, quick steps and soon she's lagging behind. Aquarius' vice grip practically rips her arm from the socket in her efforts to hurry her along. Lucy resigns herself to being towed in the slipstream.

At least the walk is short.

Mercifully, Aquarius drops Lucy's arm the moment they're inside Mira's dress shop. The blonde tries to rub some feeling back into her shoulder. She finds the seamstress silently studying her from across the room.

"Hi Mira," Lucy says, guiltily dropping her hand. She doesn't want her friend to worry about her injuries.

Mira sits behind a worktable, using a piece of chalk to trace an outline over a section of black satin.

If she's surprised to see Lucy back so soon—a mere two hours since she'd caught her and the Crown Prince kissing in her changing room—she doesn't let it show.

"Good afternoon, ladies," Mira says, a warm smile gracing her features. "It's been a while."

"Mira, how enchanting you look," Aquarius simpers, drinking in the seamstress' lovely gray linen dress and the navy grosgrain bow threaded through her hair.

"You also seem to be in fine spirits, Lady Aquarius. What can I do for you today?"

"I have excellent news, I'm here to be outfitted for the upcoming ball."

Lucy has never heard her step-mother sound so carefree before. Despite her aching limbs, she's feeling a bit giddy herself – she hasn't been shopping for new clothes since before her father died and is forced to make do with her step-sisters' castoffs.

Aquarius drifts over to the selection of feathers that Mira keeps in small baskets to use as embellishments. She selects a peacock one, running a finger along the barbs.

Mira cocks her head to the side. "The ball?"

Aquarius twirls the plume between her fingertips, making it whirl in a kaleidoscope of indigo and iridescent jade.

"Yes, the Prince's 25th birthday party. I need four costumes."

"Prince Natsu's party?" Mira repeats slowly.

"That's right." Aquarius nods happily, making the feather spin even faster.

"Sorry, I can't do it."

Lucy can feel the smile slipping from her mouth. She gapes at the dressmaker.

 _No, please. That's impossible. Mira, you have to help me._

She tries to convey her need, but her silver-haired friend just shakes her head slightly. Lucy dimly registers Aquarius beside her, making a small, strangled sound.

The feather stops spinning.

"What do you mean _'you can't do it'_?"

Mira shrugs, sending Lucy an apologetic glance. "I'm sorry, Lady Aquarius, but it's impossible. I'm closing down the shop next week."

"You're closing down th— _"_ Aquarius bites off the words, taking a steadying breath. "How _could_ you? You're a seamstress, aren't you? This is your job. You _sew clothes_ _for a living_."

Mira sighs, her shoulders slumping. With a slow, deliberate movement she puts aside the piece of chalk. She opens a drawer, fishing out a rag. She meticulously cleans her hands the way a crow picks at roadkill.

Lucy notes her step-mother shifting her feet impatiently, her cheeks flaring at how slow Mira's being, but the tailor doesn't pay her any mind.

When Mira's finally finished, she inspects her nails, spreading her fingers wide in front of her. "It's _not_ my job _,_ actually. My sister's getting married in Crocus in three weeks and it'll take me at least ten days to get there, _if_ the weather holds. I'm not missing my own sister's wedding."

Aquarius stares at Mira as if she's gone mad. "You're choosing a mere sister over the social event of the year? Does word not spread to Crocus about such things...with traders or minstrels or the like? Surely your presence is required here."

"It's not, but I'll be sure to pass your complaints along to my sister about how inconvenient her wedding date is for you," Mira replies, flashing her teeth. Her voice like poisoned honey. Deadly and sweet.

She selects a pair of scissors, barely bothering to glance up. "Now if that will be all, I'm afraid I must ask you ladies to leave. I have some work to finish here."

"Mira, please. It's summertime. Is this not your busiest time of year? Surely earning good coin is far more important than attending a simple handfasting ceremony. Ten days of travel time there, a visit, then traveling home…" Aquarius tilts her head as she does the calculations. She clasps her hands together as if in prayer. "Why, you'll be gone for an entire month! Just think of all the money you'll be losing. Why not send word ahead now that you can visit your sister in the fall, when you have fewer customers?"

Her sudden concern over the seamstress' livelihood is an act that fools no one in the room.

Mira remains engrossed in her work, tugging at the fabric as she makes her incisions.

"Most weddings take place during the summer, in case you haven't noticed," Mira replies. The soft _snick, snick, snick,_ of the scissors seems to emphasis each word. "At any rate, I own my own business and can close whenever I please. I delivered the queen's dress to her today. _Two weeks early_. Anyone who needed a costume placed their order months ago. _You_ must've been a late invite."

It takes a full thirty seconds for Aquarius to register the words. Her face darkens.

"You can't do this to me! I'm the Lady of House Heartfilia and you're nothing more than a servant!" She fumes, snapping the peacock feather in half. "You have a week to sort out my order and yet you make no attempt to do so. You're taking off to Crocus and leaving me high and dry! What of my daughters? What will I say to them when they hear of this?" She rips the feather to shreds, mangling it in her hands.

Mira rolls her eyes. With a heavy sigh, she leans an elbow on her desk, propping her head up by the heel of her hand.

"Lady Aquarius, I can't solve all your problems for you. Especially not the ones concerning your daughters. I'm a working woman and don't have that sort of time. Although I understand your need, I simply can't be of assistance. Try Onibus or perhaps Kuniga. They're a bit further north," she jabs her shears in the proper direction. "Perhaps they can help you."

"Onibus is nearest and that's still three days away!" Aquarius bristles. "And their clothier is half-blind and old!"

"Helga? She died last winter. I hear she found an apprentice before she passed on, though."

"You'd send _me_ to an apprentice!"

Mira pauses her work, running a critical eye over the onyx material. Lucy can tell by the shape she's making a man's vest. One panel cut, she sets it aside.

"I'm not sending you anywhere, Lady. I'm merely explaining your options."

"You have given me no such thing, you miserable bitch!"

 _That_ gets the dressmaker's attention.

Mira jumps up from her chair, tossing the swath on her desk the way knights throw down gauntlets.

"I _really_ don't appreciate your tone and I don't need your business. So again, I'll kindly ask you to leave." Mira hisses, stalking around her desk to the front door. She yanks it open so hard that the wind chimes twist around each other, clanging haplessly.

Still holding the scissors, she flourishes an arm toward the street. The metal catches the light, pointing the way.

It's the first time Lucy's ever seen her step-mother at a loss. Aquarius is stunned into silence, her face a burning crimson as she struggles to regain her composure.

"Fine then," Aquarius sniffs, smoothing down her dress with one hand and adopting a haughty air. "Come, Lucy. We need to get on the road early tomorrow."

She opens her right fist, letting the colourful bits of crushed feather swirl down like snowfall. She steps over them as if they're excrement in the street.

"You're paying for that. Even a _miserable bitch_ like me isn't giving away free feathers," Mira announces, her voice low and sizzling. She gives an agitated kick with her heel so that the door slams shut behind her and the wind chimes twist even more, strings knotting so that the brass bells look ineptly melded together. She marches back, holding out her hand.

Aquarius stares at the upward-facing palm, and for the briefest of moments, Lucy's afraid her step-mother might spit on it.

Tension ripples around the room like a maelstrom. Lucy's heart racing in trepidation as she watches the two women face off. The seconds tiptoe by, as if time itself is anxious to leave and the Fates couldn't care less if the three of them were left stuck, glaring at each other for the rest of eternity.

The tension lodges like a thorn inside her throat.

Even though she's on edge, Lucy doesn't _want_ to leave. She feels as though all hope of seeing Prince Natsu again will crumble to ash and be swept away the moment she walks out that door.

Mira remains frozen, blocking the exit.

Aquarius is taller and leaner, but Lucy would put her money on her friend. Mira has a spark of a demon inside of her…

Lucy finds herself not knowing what to do, what to _say_. The pressure inside the small space is becoming untenable. No one is actually _doing anything._

Aquarius stares and stares at Mira's upraised arm, then abruptly spins away, moving back to the worktable. She fumbles at her waist to unfasten her coin purse, pulling at the drawstring ties. The contents pour out in a waterfall of gilded copper, silver and gold. More money than Lucy has seen in years. Maybe not a king's ransom, but certainly enough to turn any head.

"There. If common decency can't convince you, Miss Strauss, than perhaps petty bribery will. This is every bit of coin I have. The party is in two weeks. I can't afford to waste anymore time."

Mira comes beside her, bracing both hands against the sideboard as she leans forward, coolly regarding the fortune in front of her."You can't, can you? But as I said, this isn't my problem. One dress would be difficult enough and you need four."

"She doesn't need a dress," Aquarius decides, sliding her eyes to Lucy.

"Mother?"

"Sorry, child," she says airily, not sounding sorry in the least, "but if the choice is three dresses done or none, then we all must make sacrifices."

Lucy feels the world tilt as her step-mother's words slam into her full-force. She should have known better than to get her hopes up. This is so typical of Aquarius! Always looking at her step-daughter as though she's the sacrificial lamb.

"It was my helping Queen Mavis today that secured an invite to the ball in the first place! As well as that money you're throwing about!"

"You'll do as you're told as you've always done, Cinderella." Aquarius says, her cerulean eyes darkening to azure, her voice calm and measured. Too calm. The calm before the storm. Threat eddies beneath each syllable.

Lucy shivers in response, her body tingling. Welts from her scars seem to rise up beneath her homespun dress, prickling at her like goosebumps. She can feel the phantom sting of a hundred prior tortures webbed into her flesh.

… And Aquarius' eyes promise more to come if she doesn't fall in line.

Biting the inside of her cheek until she tastes the coppery tang of blood, Lucy nods obediently.

Mira's expression is grim, her mouth a tight slash as she regards the pair. "Three dresses, four. It doesn't matter. It's impossible. Even for me."

"Then you're useless to me!" Aquarius slams her fist on the table, making the jewels tremble and clink together. She finds a 2-cooper mark to pay for the destroyed feather and flicks it away from the pile. It skitters to the table's edge, just shy of falling off. She grabs a handful of coins, angrily stuffing them back inside her pouch.

Mira tugs on her step-mother's sleeve, halting her.

Aquarius stares at the clothier's hand as if she has leprosy. "Just _what_ do you think you're doing?"

"I'm thinking..." Mira murmurs, trailing off. She lifts her hand away, waving it in dismissal. "Oh, nevermind. You haven't been nice enough to me to earn it."

"Earn _what_?"

Mira eyes the coins once more.

"I _really_ shouldn't bother, but knowing this is an important event and invitations are rarely handed out…" she shrugs, "If I had help, I _might_ be able to do it. Do any of your daughters know how to sew?"

"I do," Lucy offers quickly, "I make almost all the clothes at the Keep. Levy and I are both decent with a needle and thread."

Aquarius nods in agreement, letting the coins slide back down to the table as she ponders the question.

"Minerva is a very good cook, but she lacks patience with detailed tasks like sewing. She's a disaster and refuses to sit still for long periods of time. Sorano was still so young when I married Lucy's father. I taught her some basics but I doubt she'd remember much more than how to sew a button by this point. She hasn't practiced in years. If you give Lucy a bolt of cloth, she can make anything you desire. And... _Levy,_ did you say? I think her name is Lacey." She shakes her head as if the name is of no consequence. "But the small blue one has mended dresses for me before and even makes bone corsets."

Mira plucks up the three gold coins. She rubs them between her fingers like a magician about to perform a slight-of-hand trick.

"Here's my offer then. If you want these gowns sewn, I have eight days until I have to leave for Crocus. Lend me Lucy and Levy to complete the work. If they are as skilled as you say, you'll have your costumes ready or near enough that the two of them should be able to finish everything on time without difficulties."

"Done!" Aquarius blurts out loudly. The blood rushes to her step-mother's face and Lucy surmises she's embarrassed at how resounding her voice is, filling the small space.

Mira clears her throat. "I will also take these," she adds, stretching out to select six silver pieces.

"Wh...wha..," Aquarius splutters. "Three gold should cover the cost and then some!"

"I charge a fee for working overtime. It's my best offer, take it or leave it."

"This is robbery!"

"Robbery is such an ugly word. I prefer extortion."

 _Oh Fates save us, we're dead. We're all so very dead._

Even as the thought forms, Lucy is intervening, laying a restraining hand on her step-mother's elbow before she can lunge at Mira and choke her to death.

"Mother, you were going to give her all your money. Is this not the better bargain?"

"I don't recall asking _you_ for anything, Cinderella," she snaps, sloughing the arm off.

"No, you just expect Levy and I to sew these gowns for you," she mutters under her breath.

Her step-mother hears.

"You're coming to the ball, too! This benefits all of us," Aquarius reminds her.

Lucy starts in surprise that the blunette is being the logical one. She considers the advantages of getting into an argument with the older woman.

There are none.

Truth be told, she wants to see Natsu again more than anything. She hitches her hip against the desk, trying to subtly take the pressure off her ankle. She almost sobs with relief when the pain ebbs. There's more than the ball to consider – being able to sit and sew will accelerate her healing far faster than doing chores at the Keep.

To Mira she says, "Please allow me to help you in any way that I can."

Aquarius crosses her arms in front of her chest, drumming her fingers against an elbow.

"Then we're agreed, Lady Aquarius?" Mira asks.

Aquarius nods, her teal locks falling over her shoulder. She brushes them back. "I want more than simple gowns then," she declares. "You shall provide masks, feathers, fans, whatever adornments needed to ensure we make a spectacular entrance."

"Of course, milady," Mira bows deeply. The moonlight strands of her hair sway in a way that somehow reminds Lucy of the tarot card Cana gave her.

Before she can get too mired in thought, Mira speaks.

"With time being of the essence, why don't I take your and Lucy's measurements now? Then we can discuss costumes. Your two other daughters can come by first thing tomorrow morning to pick their own designs and I can proceed from there."

"Fine. It's about time we got down to business." The blunette flounces over the the wooden box in the center of the room and stands on it.

Mira pushes a quill and piece of parchment into Lucy's hands.

"If you can mark everything down for me, it'll make the job go faster," she explains.

"Oh, yes. Yes, of course." Lucy hurriedly writes _Lady Aquarius_ at the top of the page.

Her step-mother raises her arms as Mira wraps the tape measure around her, dictating numbers to the blonde.

"Bust, 89 cm. Waist, 64 cm. Hips, 92 cm. Hmmm...you have a perfect hourglass figure."

The compliment seems to mollify some of Aquarius' ire at paying an exorbitant fee for four outfits.

By the time Mira's done with both women's measurements and a few rough sketches of the dress that Aquarius wants for herself, the sun is sinking into its lower zenith, casting slants along the walls – dusk-grays interspersing with melting tangerine creams.

Aquarius chooses a show-stopping ensemble, large and elaborate. Lucy isn't sure if it's because her step-mother wants to get back at Mira for the high cost or simply because she wants to stand out at the gala.

Both. It's probably both.

Mira pins a sample of cloth to the charcoal design she's made. "Lady Aquarius, I have an idea. Why don't you leave Lucy here with me? We can begin our work tonight and be up at first light without wasting travel time. I have an extra bedroll in my room. Every extra minute we spend working is a blessings to the Fates at this point."

"You want Lucy to stay out all night? With you? _"_

" _Working_ with me," Mira stresses. "The sooner we start, the sooner we'll be finished. I have dressed Minerva and Sorano before. I think it's safe to assume that their choice of costumes will be complex for something as grand as Prince Natsu's birthday celebration."

Aquarius can't argue with that, but Lucy can tell that she _wants to._ The debate is clear on her face. The blonde has never been allowed to stay out past sunset, and only then on market days. Her step-mother keeps her under tight watch. To be given hours of unsupervised freedom is like a gift itself.

… One the matriarch seems reluctant to grant.

"Tonight only," Aquarius finally concedes. "You may well be past your prime, Mira, but Lucy is not. A young virgin of twenty-two shouldn't be gallivanting around Magnolia. She's the sort that attracts all kinds of trouble, and I won't be held responsible for any she brings to your doorstep. I rest easiest when she's under my care."

Mira pointedly ignores the _past your prime_ remark. "I understand your concerns, Lady. You have nothing to worry about."

Lucy bows to her benefactor. "Thank you for paying for my costume, mother. I apologize for my earlier display of temper. I will work hard to ensure you and my sisters have the most beautiful attire. I will sew my own dress last and make sure the design is simple."

"I'm glad someone here can display proper respect for their betters," Aquarius replies, fussily patting at her cornflower tresses. She steps off the wooden box.

With the money exchanged and the deal made, she has no further reason to linger. She clears her throat. "Well, I guess I'll take my leave of you both. I'll be here first thing tomorrow with my daughters and Lacey. We can see what progress the two of you have made by then."

"Of course, I'm sure we'll have made an excellent start. Safe travels to you," Mira says.

"Very well then," her eyes cut into Lucy's. "Behave yourself or I shall hear of it. And I wouldn't go easy on you just because we're family."

 _As if you've ever gone easy on me,_ Lucy thinks, but none of her thoughts reach her face.

"Of course, mother. I strive only to be a good daughter and worthy of your pride."

Aquarius snorts at the impossibility of that. Without another word, she pivots on one heel, exiting the shop.

Mira goes to barricade the door, hefting the iron bar in place. She pulls the flowery curtains closed (they're a hideous vineyard green with obnoxiously large cabbage roses...a pattern that Lucy suspects Mira hadn't been able to sell so instead repurposed as window dressings).

The seamstress slumps her shoulders. _"Fates preserve me._ I never believed that would work!"

"What do you mean? That Aquarius would pay for so dearly for the costumes?"

Mira prances up to Lucy, locking the smaller girl in a bone-crushing hug.

Lucy doesn't know what's gotten into her friend, but returns the tight embrace. "Mira, what's going on?"

Mira grabs her hand, lacing their fingers together. "Come. I'll show you," she says, pulling her across the room.

The dressmaker plucks a lantern off the wall, leading the way to the back of the store. At the end of a long corridor, she opens a door, waving Lucy inside.

With the light behind her, Lucy can only make out dark, lumpy forms. Mira raises the lamp higher, and a wedge of gold spills into the gloom.

 _Bolts of cloth. Dress forms. Furs and feathers._

Piles of fabric are folded and pressed into various shelves. Overcoats hang from hooks beside her.

It's a storage room. Nothing overly exciting.

"Is there something we need in here to make Aquarius' outfit?"

"Look closer," Mira trills, coming to stand next to her. She hooks the brass lantern over one finger, swinging it like the pendulum of a clock. The shadows jump and dissolve as four dress forms come into view.

Lucy moves closer, not sure if she believes what her eyes are seeing. "What is this?"

" _These..."_ Mira drawls triumphantly, "...are your family's costumes for Prince Natsu's party."

"But...but...:" Sure enough, the exact outfit Mira had been sketching for Aquarius only moments ago is there, resplendent and glorious.

"How in the world...?"

"Cana," Mira replies smugly. "About eight months ago, she came to visit me. She said you would need costumes and asked me to start making them right away. She paid in advance and assured me that Aquarius would offer even more for them," she chuckles, shaking her head in wonder. "She was certainly right about that. I'll be able to buy Lisanna an amazing wedding gift now."

" _Cana_ arranged all of this? For _me?"_ Lucy feels her eyes grow misty.

"Yes. She loves you a lot, you know."

No, she hadn't known. Friends, yes. But to do something like this…

The tears slide unabated down her cheeks, her throat clogging. Mira throws an arm around her shoulders, hips bumping as she pulls her into a side hug. The two women silent except for the sound of muffled choking as Lucy struggles to compose herself.

Mira dabbles at her cheeks with a handkerchief, the way a mother would with a child.

It makes Lucy cry even harder.

After several minutes, Lucy pulls back, sopping up her face with the square of cloth.

"Wait a minute, so Cana used her tarot cards and predicted I would be invited to Prince Natsu's birthday party? _And_ she knew exactly what costumes Aquarius, Minerva and Sorano want for the gala?"

Mira winks. "Now you're getting it."

Lucy's still caught up in a backwash of puzzlement. "But...what was all that posturing about Lisanna's wedding? Why did you tell Aquarius that you needed my and Levy's help with the costumes if they're already sewn?"

"Ahh..." Mira sighs, looking sheepish. "That was an act. Cana gave me careful instructions on exactly how I needed to handle Aquarius."

"That was all _acting?"_

"I think I missed my calling…" Mira flourishes a bow. "It was one of the things Cana needed me to do."

"What other things could Cana possibly need for you to do? Isn't this enough?" She makes a sweeping gesture with one arm to encompass the garments in front of them.

To be able to go to the ball, to dance with Natsu, to move their burgeoning relationship forward…

It's more than she ever dreamed was possible.

Instead of answering, Mira squeezes her waist, drawing Lucy away from the storage room. They stand in the hallway, near the changing room where she'd kissed the Crown Prince that afternoon.

Mira pointedly ignores the blue-curtained room. "How's the ankle?"

"It hurts," she admits.

"Come on, we're going out. I know a healer who can fix you up and we can eat some supper."

"That sounds wonderful, but I don't have any money to pay for it."

Mira huffs a laugh. "That's not a problem."

"Mira, I can't take anything else from you."

"Lucy, you don't have to worry about a thing. I feel bad, actually. Getting you to try on Lisanna's dress under false pretenses."

The words stop her in her tracks. _"All of this was planned?"_

Lucy leans against the wall with a thud. She's dizzy. Her entire day...meeting Natsu, feeling heat for the first time, the _kiss…_

So much for having free will. She rubs at her temples, struggling to comprehend everything Mira is telling her.

"So you didn't actually need me to try on your sister's wedding dress? And Prince Natsu and I…" she can barely choke out the word, ".. _.kissing_. Did Cana see that, too?"

 _Fates help her,_ how deep did the card reader's magic go?

"No," Mira says hastily. _"Maybe._ I don't know. You'd have to ask her that. All I know is that Cana ordered the costumes and instructed me to get you into the shop this afternoon using whatever excuse I could manage. I didn't know why she wanted you here until I caught you and the prince making eyes at each other. I certainly didn't know you'd start making out in my changing room."

"Oh my gawds _,_ I could just die." She feels herself sliding to the ground, skirts bunching, exposing her legs almost to the knee. She can't be bothered to yank them back down.

Mira is kneeling beside her, running a soothing hand over her hair. "Lucy, I know this is all overwhelming, but this is a good thing. You met the prince today. He seemed smitten by you. You get to go to the grand ball and who knows what will happen after that? The costumes are sewn, so instead of having to deal with Aquarius and your step-sisters for a week, you and Levy can be here with me! I only have a few orders left to finish and with you and Levy helping me, we'll be done in no time. It'll be like a vacation for all of us. As for Levy, I'm sure that once she hears of this, she'll be looking forward to spending some quality time with Gajeel."

Lucy's mind can barely keep up with everything that Mira's telling her, but she murmurs blurrily. "You know about Levy and Gajeel? Did Cana tell you about that, too?"

"No. He did."

Lucy hadn't even known that Gajeel and Mira were such good friends. Her life at the Keep had made her blind to so many things. She folds her knees to her chest, resting her head against them.

"This is a lot to take in."

"I know." Mira stands, reaching down for Lucy's hand. After a beat, the blonde takes it, allowing her friend to pull her back up. "The Fates work in mysterious ways, but once we've gotten a good meal into you and your ankle fixed, I think you'll be thanking me."

"I don't need any of that to thank you, Mira. You and Cana have done more for me today than anyone else has in my entire life," she says sincerely. Her head is buzzing and heart is thumping inside her chest as she tries to untangle it all, but she trusts her friends implicitly.

Mira beams at her. "Good. Now...let's get you changed out of that hideous dress and head out."

* * *

 _ **Thirty minutes later…**_

Lucy sits – a borrowed yellow dress on her body, a steaming bowl of stew in front of her, a tankard of ale at her elbow, and her bandaged foot propped up on the chair across from her.

Fairy Tail is the liveliest place she's ever seen. Crowds of people of all stations surround her. Rich merchants mingle with minstrels. Highborn ladies in silk gowns stand in small groups, fanning themselves and drinking from dented metal goblets, seeming happy to do so. There's people shouting, laughing, toasting. The sort that tell bawdy jokes and thump each other on the back at the end of a punchline.

"I can't believe you've never been to an inn," Mira shouts over the din, dropping a half-loaf of crusty brown bread on the table before sitting down next to her with her own helping of stew.

"I've never been anywhere before," Lucy says, smiling brightly at all the chaos. She loves it here. "Aquarius never saw fit to let me go anywhere aside from the Keep and the market, and I've never had the time or money to go exploring, anyway."

"Marry the Crown Prince and you needn't worry about money at all."

She's happy she can't blush, but her tone conveys her embarrassment. "I'm not going to marry him!"

"Oh?" Mira arches a skeptical brow. "But kissing him in a humble dress shop is okay?"

"It was more than okay," a low voice says from behind them.

Lucy knows that voice. She knows that _scent_...like burning applewood and brimstone. Smoke and spice. Her heart races and every ounce of oxygen leaves her lungs.

With a slight smirk on his face and his onyx eyes sparking with mischief, Prince Natsu ruffles her hair, sending heat flooding through her.

"May I join you?"

* * *

 _ **A/N: I know it's been way too long. I'm so sorry! I have missed you all so much. This chapter has always been part of my original plan, as I liked the idea of Cana and Mira conspiring together to help Lucy, but it would**_ _ **not**_ _ **come out properly. I hope you enjoyed it and it was worth the long wait!**_

 _ **Inspiration came from Satyrykal, who sent me a link to a bunch of Yuri on Ice AMV's. Every time I got stuck, I would watch another AMV and the music combined with one of my favourite animes kept me going. Thank you, Satyrykal!**_

 _ **This story is a gift for her and if you haven't seen her writing on this site, you have to check her out. She's writing a story for me, also a Fairy Tail fairytale, called The Edge**_ _(based on Beauty and The Beast)_ _ **as well as many other spectacular Nalu stories. She's phenomenal and I can't recommend her storytelling enough.**_

 _ **I appreciate your feedback, likes and follows more than words can say. I had originally thought this would be a short fic**_ _(hahahahaha, like I can write short fics?)_ _ **but now I'm hoping to keep it around 10 chapters. I hope you'll stick around to see what happens next!**_

 _ **I have another ongoing story, Request Board Romance that is longer. It's a Nalu/Gajevy/Jerza humour and romance fic. Feel free to browse if you like!**_

 _ **Shout outs to my reviewers from last time: icanthelpbutfangirl (x2), monitorchick, Rein Serenity, Guest, stranger1999, Larissa, Slash2104, FreyjaBee, Duchixx, noseinabook145, Firefly9917, JAKEDSNAKE, itsxoi (x2), Lodemai04, aspiringgeek, MasterGildarts, it-actually-kate, Guest, YukiMC, FireFlameFly101, ABT4Life, mayu05, ShanaHollows, Mystic Stars, AzmariaMinohi, KJacket, Sanspree, Bs. Trinkets (x2), Stubenhocker, Anna5949, stellarflame, Katnibal94**_ _and of course,_ _ **Satyrykal!**_


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